All Posts by Jack Isler, MD
What are My Options if I’m Tired of Medicine?
There are many op-eds stating how you can leave medicine and make almost as much money doing other jobs. I don’t find this to be true at all. Yes, there could be a few jobs that meet the level of income from practicing medicine, but they are few and difficult to get. Be realistic about the loss in income when you leave medicine. Plan ahead for this change. If it were easy to leave medicine and retain the income, a significantly higher percentage would be leaving.
Read moreWhere Does the Patient Fit in the Medical System?
After I retired and moved to another town, I was still a physician, but no longer had easy access to the medical system. I had the full experience of what everyone else goes through: picking up the phone and attempting to make an appointment with a physician.
Read moreHow Does the Current Health Insurance Debate Affect Private Practice in the USA?
The future poses many possible changes to healthcare and its related method of insurance coverage. The focus of healthcare in the USA has not yet been established. Is the intent to cover as many people as possible, control spiraling costs, or make health insurance a personal choice to accept or reject? This debate may not be settled any time soon. Can private practice survive this storm?
Read moreDoctor means “to teach”
When I think back to the original meaning of the word “doctor,” I believe we may have lost our way in the physician/patient interaction. The word “doctor” originates from a Latin word, meaning to teach. As a physician and educator, I can’t remember the last time I went to the doctor and was taught something. Prior to starting medical school, I spent 6 months in the hospital and rehab, rebuilding my body from a construction accident. This situation was very painful and debilitating, but it provided me with the patient’s perspective to illness. It is from this perspective that all physicians need to originate. By teaching, you not only strive to treat, but you strive for the best outcome.
Read moreDoes Big, Bad Pharma Resemble Big, Bad Banks?
Editors note: Jack Isler is retired anesthesiologist and critical care physician as well as a published author. The views expressed here are his own. I recently finished a research project involving four of the biggest pharma corporations in the world. I […]
Read moreTips and Strategies for Job Seekers Past 50
Over 50 and Looking for a New Job? Realistically speaking, it’s not always possible to retire from your current job. You could be close to being laid off, very unhappy with your standing in an organization, or bored stiff with […]
Read moreThe Medical Marijuana Industry’s Potency Problem
The safe use of marijuana for medical purposes is one of the areas in which mainstream medicine has let its patients down. Primary care providers should take more of an active role advocating for their patients in regards to marijuana. […]
Read moreTaking the wrong job isn’t as bad as you think
There are many horror stories out there about what can happen to you when you take the wrong job. However, I can say unequivocally that I learned more from taking the wrong job than I ever did with what I […]
Read moreWhere does Complementary and Alternative Medicine Fit in US Healthcare?
As a physician, some of my biggest disappointments have been with colleagues who could not visualize the benefit of going beyond the usual prescription medications or surgery as the only methods of treating a patient. Even after describing my successes, […]
Read moreKnowledge About Malpractice Lawsuits Can Give You Some Peace
About 50% of the time, the way medical practitioners deal with a patient is directed by their concerns about being sued. This may lead to a malpractice verdict. This thought process, whether conscious or unconscious, relates to practicing defensive medicine […]
Read more
